


Falling For You

by Maisie_top_trash



Series: Unseen - Fear Will Lose [19]
Category: Twenty One Pilots
Genre: Fluff, I used to spend so much time on tags, Josh is not good at looking where he's going, M/M, Sickfic, Ty's doing well though, love me please, mental health, physical injury, they're married
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-20
Updated: 2017-05-20
Packaged: 2018-11-02 21:30:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,090
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10953099
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Maisie_top_trash/pseuds/Maisie_top_trash
Summary: Unseen Fear Will Lose is a series of single chapter stories showing unseen scenes from the same universe as my main story, Fear Will Lose. In order to fully enjoy these extra bits, I recommend you go and read that first.Fear Will LoseAfter the wedding Josh and Tyler are settled into a fairly normal domestic little setup, and Josh is far too preoccupied by a sale on rice at Walmart





	Falling For You

**Author's Note:**

> Why am I posting when I'm in the middle of exams?
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> TW  
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> Very brief mention of historical child abuse, be careful xx

As Josh walked out of the bedroom, rubbing his eyes tiredly with the sleeve of his dressing gown, he yawned. Tyler was already downstairs but had thankfully left him to lie in after a long week in court. Despite sleeping 10 hours he was still exhausted, and yawned again.

Randomly he remembered that Walmart's sale on rice was ending that day, so opened up his phone and began typing a note to himself to stock up before suddenly stumbling. It may have been over a slipper but Josh didn't catch a glance as suddenly his world was flipped from under him and he tumbled forward. A cry escaped his lips as he fell, heart punching, but there was nothing he could do as his back collided with the marble step, and bang, everything went black.

 

  
"Josh, Josh please, please baby," he heard Tyler sobbing but couldn't see him, and he could feel his husband's hands against his chest, could feel the back of his head was wet. He could feel everything, pulsing, throbbing, screaming, but he couldn't feel his legs.

"Jo-o-sh,"  
"Wha?" He tried to sit up once his vision finally focused but could barely move his head an inch off the ground before a sharp jolt of pain screeched from his neck.  
"Don't m-move, don't move,"  
"Huh?"  
"Josh you fe-fell do-wn, fell down the s-stairs swee-etie," Tyler cried and Josh felt the pain coursing through his body to match. "But i-it's gonna be okay, okay? You're gonna be fine,"

"Ty,"  
"Yeah I'm, I-I'm here baby,"  
"Ty I can't feel my legs," Josh whispered, tears glistening in the corner of his eyes that he was helpless to stop.  
"J-j-o-o-sh-sh," he broke down and Josh so desperately wanted to reach out and scoop up his fragile man between his arms, hold him tight, make him feel safe and loved and protected, but right now all Josh could do was blink away salty tears.

"Josh y-y, you need to stay a-wake," Tyler told him when he squeezed his eyes closed tightly. "The, the, the am, the ambulance is coming, i-i-it's g-go-nna b-b-be o-o-o-k-kay,"  
"Tyler,"  
"Mmm,"  
"Tyler are you listening?" Josh tried to say bravely but his wavering voice gave away his facade.  
"Y-y-yeah," he hiccuped tearfully.  
"Ty I don't want you getting sick. I want you to go get some water, sit in your comfy chair in the living room with a blanket and call your mom. Tell her what happened, tell her I'm okay and then tell her about that song I heard you writing last night. I want you to keep talking to her and keep breathing and I'll focus on staying awake,"  
"No no no no, I'm not leaving you!"  
"Babe that was a set of 4, I thi-"  
"Jesus Christ Josh! Please! For once in your life, put yourself first!" Tyler begged before sobbing harder. Josh tried to find him and stroke him supportively but unbearable shooting pains ran from his shoulder to his fingertips. The pain was excruciating and for a moment he thought he might pass out again as whimpering chokes escaped his lips.

"Stay awake baby, please," Tyler whispered but Josh couldn't promise him as the pain rocketed from every inch of his being. "S'gonna be fine, it's, it's all gonna be fine,"  
"Ty,"  
"I'm here baby, I-I'm here,"  
"Am, am, am I, am I bleeding?" Josh asked, perhaps a little slurred as his eyes begged to be closed.  
"Yes," Ty nodded tearfully, "You hit your head, that's w-why you need to sstay awake, okay?"  
"Ty, Ty don't get trig-tr-trig-triggered,"  
"Darling I'm fine, okay? I just really need you to stay awake for me, c-can you do that?"  
"Hello? Did someone call for an ambulance?"  
"Here! Quickly," Tyler sniffed loudly and Josh saw two people dressed in red run towards him, but he couldn't turn to face them and he couldn't stop the tears falling down the side of his face.

"What's his name?"  
"Josh,"  
"And you?"  
"Tyler, his husband,"  
"Josh? Hi, my name's Michael and I'm a paramedic, can you hear me?"  
"Yeh,"  
"Okay Josh, can you tell me what happened?" The man asked whilst the other one put something on Josh's finger.  
"I fell,"  
"He fell from the very top, we have marble steps, I, I didn't see but there's blood from two thirds up and his head is bleeding, he's in a lot of pain and he can't feel his legs," Tyler expanded whilst crying.  
"Josh, can you tell me what's hurting specifically?"  
"My, my neck, and my b-back, and, a-and, my right sh-shoulder,"  
"Okay, Stan can you grab the collar and the board?" Michael asked the other paramedic.  
"Yep,"

"Josh it's very important you don't move, we're going to immobilise you as soon as possible to protect your spinal chord,"  
"I, I, I tried to keep him still," Tyler whispered between sniffs.  
"Good. Has he lost consciousness at all?"  
"Yeah he was out for like 5 minutes,"  
"5 minutes? Right, okay," the medic said then took a small torch and shone it in Josh's eyes.  
"Is he going to be okay?"  
"We'll do all we can, but the extent of the injuries is impossible to say without scans." Michael scared Tyler and Josh so desperately wanted to reach out to him.

"Has he got any preexisting medical conditions?"  
"No,"  
"Allergies?"  
"Penicillin, severely," Tyler answered tearfully.  
"Does he take any medication?"  
"No."  
"Josh, Josh I need you to keep your eyes open."  
"Please baby,"

"Neck brace and back board, plus morphine." Stan came back with the equipment and Josh could hear sounds but he couldn't see and he was scared and his damn eyelids wouldn't stop dropping.  
"Give him 10mg,"  
"Sharp scratch Josh," the paramedic warned but he felt nothing but the same searing pain.

"Josh I need you to squeeze my hand for me," Michael instructed and Josh felt something touching him so he grabbed it shortly. "Good, well done, Stan he's got a GCS of 15,"  
"Heart rate 115, oxygen sats 98, resps 13 and blood pressure 81 systolic 48 diastolic,"  
"Okay Josh, have you had anything to eat today?"  
"Nno,"  
"Still too low," one of the paramedics said to the other but the unfamiliar voices were hard for him to keep up with.  
"W-what?" Tyler asked afraid, a voice Josh could recognise anywhere.  
"Quite a low blood pressure, but we'll take him to the hospital and they'll treat it."

"Josh I'm going to put a neck brace on you now, it might feel a bit awkward and uncomfortable but it's going to protect your neck until we know what's going on, so I need you to lay perfectly still." One of them said and Josh felt cold harsh plastic being carefully slid behind his painful neck. He couldn't suppress a wince as the brace was strapped up and his chin found its place locked directly straight up. The change in position caused his head to roll ever so slightly further onto the wound on the back and Josh could feel the sheer volume of seepage that began.

"Hey, hey mister, look at me please," Tyler tried to instruct but fear laced his every word, and that's what truly urged Josh to open his eyes again. His husband had moved to be right by his head and they could at last make eye contact as the paramedics worked on his body.

"Stay calm Ty,"  
"I am,"  
"Michael,"  
"Yes?"  
"Ty's diagnosed schizoaffective,"  
"Okay Josh, we'll keep any eye on him but right now we need to focus on you and getting you to hospital. Stan and I are going to put you on a back board right now, so it might be painful but we need you not to squirm or flinch please." Michael said and suddenly Josh felt the hard plastic being levered under his back, pain radiating and intensifying whilst consciousness seemed harder and harder to hold onto.

"Baby stay awake,"  
"Ty," Josh murmured whilst his hips were strapped down.  
"I'm here Josh, I'm here," Tyler reassured him and Josh felt his familiar lips press against his forehead.  
"Love you,"  
"I love you too darling, you're being so brave and it's gonna be okay, s'gonna be okay."  
"Josh, Stan and I are going to pick you up on the count of three and take you to the ambulance."

 

  
When Kelly arrived at the hospital, Josh had already been for all his scans and was waiting in his bay with Tyler by his side. Tyler was squeezing his hand tight, careful not to knock the cannula, whilst silently wiping tears. The sobs were over but the streams continued and Josh only wished he could do more, but braces and pain and doctor's orders kept him pinned to the bed.

"Oh Josh," she exclaimed and rushed to his side, immediately kissing his forehead and rubbing his temple fondly with her thumb whilst holding tearful eye contact.  
"I'm okay,"  
"You will be darling, you will be,"  
"Please look after Ty," Josh told his mother in law.  
"Mom he keeps doing this! He might have broken his neck and he's worrying about me!" Tyler cried as Kelly walked round and swooped him up into a tight hug. Josh couldn't see the pair with his head braced straight towards the ceiling, but eventually noticed the woman step back in his peripheral vision.

"Are you okay?"  
"Course I'm not okay," he sniffed, "Mom he can't feel his legs,"  
"Right get me up to speed, what have they done and what are they going to do?"  
"Um, they've, they've done a blood test and taken him for a CT scan of his upper body, neck and head. They uh, they gave him pain killers and oxygen and they put a gauze on the cut on his head but that's it. Just waiting for results."

"I'm fine, I feel better now," Josh called out.  
"It's the meds Josh, you're not fine,"  
"But I'm glad you're not in pain darling," Kelly added. "Just keep being patient and brave and things will heal I promise,"  
"What if he can't walk,"  
"Alright Ty no need to work yourself up, you're overthinking and you're presuming the worst case scenario. But you know what? No matter what happens, you two have each other and that's all that's important. You boys can get through anything, you'll be okay,"

Only once Kelly sat down on Tyler's chair, her son sitting on her lap whilst holding his hand, did it really hit him what had just been said. What if he couldn't walk. He couldn't feel his legs but he just sort of put it down to blood flow or something, numbness not paralysis. Shit, what if he couldn't walk, what if he never walked again, what if-

"Hi Josh, I've got your scan results back," the doctor said, entering the bay and shutting the blue curtain behind him.  
"I'm Kelly, Josh's mother in law,"  
"Dr Coleman," he replied, shaking her hand. "Alright Josh, let's start with the good news, the neck's not broken."  
"Oh thank God," Tyler sighed a breath of relief.  
"We'll get that collar off you in a minute, you'll be stiff for a few days but no long term complications."  
"Thank you," Josh said to the doctor, still nervous for the rest of the news.  
"Your shoulder isn't broken but it is dislocated, so it's gonna sting like a bitch when we pull it back in, pardon my French, but again you'll have to be in a sling for a while but no long term complications."  
"Right,"  
"No sign of brain injury in any of your scans or assessments, however I think it's probable you have a minor concussion. The laceration on the back of your head is still bleeding but the edges are clean and straight so glue should do the trick."  
"Thank you so much," Tyler smiled gratefully but Josh still couldn't feel his legs.

"What's the bad news?" He asked quietly, anxious for the answer.  
"He's okay, isn't he, he's fine," Tyler squeezed his husband's hand.  
"You've got 2 broken ribs, right side, haven't punctured your lung luckily."  
"Right, but I can't feel my legs, what about my back Dr Coleman, my spine,"  
"So spines are made up of 24 bones called vertebrae, and between these are spinal disks which together form a spinal column. Inside this column is your spinal chord which has all the nerves to send signal and therefore control your body. Now I know you've been having some numbness,"  
"Get to it Doc," Josh interrupted terrified.  
"One of your discs has herniated and you have a fracture in your T10 vertebrae,"

"Oh god no-o," Tyler broke down into hysterical tears.  
"Baby, baby breathe, come on, deep breaths," Kelly tried and failed to calm him down.  
"Kel take him out,"  
"No no no no,"  
"I don't want you getting sick Ty, sweetheart please, take a walk," Josh attempted to soothe him whilst processing the fact that he had broken his back.  
"Ty, Ty baby look at me, a herniated disc is the same as a slipped disc, right Doc? Slipped disc, Dad's had a slipped disc before baby and he's absolutely fine,"  
"Slipped disc that's right." Dr Coleman nodded.

"Will I walk again?"  
"The spinal chord is ever so slightly pinched, which is causing your pain and your weakness, but it's not severed. Chances of paraplegia are fairly minimal."  
"But existent!" Tyler suddenly screeched emotionally, standing up and running out.  
"Ty!" Josh called after him, trying to sit up but instantly being stopped by a strap across his chest and a shooting pain scorching from his back. "Aarhhh,"  
"Josh you need to stay completely still."  
"Josh listen to the doctor, I'll get Ty," Kelly said before leaving him too.

"I'm sorry Josh, I'm aware of you husband's conditions and I should have offered him the opportunity to leave beforehand,"  
"He wouldn't have left either way,"  
"Do you want me to talk you through your options now or wait for him to return first?"  
"Now,"  
"Okay, so the break is only small, more of a minor crack in the outside of the vertebrae. If you didn't have the slipped disc then I'd send you home with a brace for 8 weeks and that would be the end of it."  
"Right,"  
"But the disc is more of an issue, it's a severe herniation and I'm going to be strongly advising you to take a surgical route, a procedure called a discectomy. It involves-"  
"I don't need to know about what you're gonna do or the risks, I just need to know what's the quickest way to get me back to being able to help Ty."  
"Well when it comes to signing consent forms you will need to know risks, but for now I'll tell you that yes, surgery is the quickest way to heal the injury."  
"Okay, do it."  
"But Josh, it's not a quick fix, you'll be bed bound for a while and you'll need PT and a brace and most importantly rest."  
"I'm in the middle of a court case, Ty needs me, I don't have time to rest."  
"Let me put it simply, if you want to heal, if you want to walk, then you have to." Dr Coleman stated and Josh was at a loss because he couldn't just sit back if his husband needed him, but simultaneously he couldn't risk having to sit back permanently.

"Josh,"  
"Mmm,"  
"Whilst we're alone, I have some questions about something that came up on the CT,"  
"Okay,"  
"Josh, the radiologist identified 23 historic fractures to your ribs, and not a single one is recorded in your medical notes." The doctor said and Josh's heart would sink lower if it possibly could. "These sort of injuries are commonly associated with child abuse,"  
"Doc, I really don't wanna, you know," he gulped.  
"All I need to know is whether you need me to phone the police."  
"No."

"Have you filed a police report already?"  
"No."  
"Would you like me to put you in contact with someone who can talk you through the process?"  
"I wasn't abused Doc,"  
"23 untreated fractures, care to offer an alternative explanation?"  
"I wasn't, they, they didn't abuse me."  
"As your doctor I have a duty of care, it's my obligation to report this to the police."  
"Only if I'm a minor or I'm in immediate danger, neither of which are true. I'm a lawyer."  
"Josh you deserve for your parents to be brought to justice."  
"You've seen a scan, please don't assume you understand my childhood." Josh sighed. "They couldn't afford to take me to hospital a whole deal, I was a clumsy kid."  
"There's clumsy and then there's 23 fractures."  
"I fell out of trees a lot and like I said, they couldn't afford to get me seen to."

"You're a lawyer you were saying, right? You know that this evidence will hold up in court and you can have your justice." Dr Coleman said. "You deserve better than what they did to you-"  
"I wasn't abused, please, can you just drop it and focus on my broken back."

 

  
Having the collar off made Josh feel a bit more comfortable, but more importantly it meant that he could turn and face Tyler. It has taken 10 minutes for Kelly to calm him down but thankfully they had both returned and Tyler seemed to be mostly okay. Still tears fell occasionally and he went through phases of quiet that Josh didn't trust, however he was glad to have his husband's hand to hold whilst they waited for his surgery slot.

"I told you boys, the marble looks pretty but it's not practical, I warned you someone was gonna get hurt,"  
"But aesthetics," Josh grinned.  
"I think it's fair to say that we're getting it carpeted next available moment,"  
"You're no fun Ty, hey, we could get a slide! How cool would that be?!"  
"Alright how much laughing gas did you have?" Tyler smiled, stroking his hand fondly.  
"They shoved my shoulder back in! It hurt!"  
"And you did very well my big brave soldier," he cooed, then leant in and pecked him on the lips.

"You know Josh, you're gonna have this guy waiting on you hand and foot for a while now so it's time to start channeling your inner diva," Kelly smiled at the pair.  
"Don't encourage him!"  
"Ice tea imported from England, lifeguards imported from Spain, towels imported from Turkey, turkey imported from Maine,"  
"Oh god you did not just quote high school musical..." Tyler shook his head disapprovingly.  
"High school musical 2 actually," Josh laughed with a smirk, but laughing made his broken ribs shoot pain right up his neck and triggered a wince to hiss from between his lips.

"Alright calm down darling, you two can have as many high school musical marathons as you want once the surgery is done, but let's wait till you've got the okay from the doctor first." Kelly told them.  
"Nah, if I know my man then it's gonna be nothing but X-Files from here out."  
"Amen," Josh agreed.

"Sir? The surgeon is ready for you so I need to take you down to see the anaesthetist who will put you to sleep." A nurse walked in and told him.  
"Can we have a minute?" Kelly asked.  
"Of course, I'll wait outside,"

"You ready for this?" Ty asked, stroking his hand with his thumb and holding eye contact as his eyes welled a little.  
"Yeh, I'm gonna be fine,"  
"You're gonna be fine," he repeated, trying to convince himself rather than Josh.  
"Absolutely fine." Kelly agreed with a nod.

"Mommy Kelly, look after my man please,"  
"Course darling,"  
"And Ty, listen to me okay? Nothing that happens in that operating theatre is affected by you, so no need for any rituals or compulsions. The best thing you can do for me is keep safe and try not to worry too much,"  
"Obviously I'm gonna be worried."  
"That's okay, normal, but make sure you don't let it get excessive. Worrying isn't going to change anything, so do your best to work through it and stay well."  
"I will,"  
"I'm so proud of how well you've coped today,"  
"Thank you,"  
"I love you baby,"  
"I love you too." Tyler whispered quietly, then planted a long but gentle kiss on his lips. "Josh don't die in there okay?"  
"Little vulgar isn't it? But I promise darling,"  
"Stay alive then,"  
"I will,"  
"Thank you,"  
"See you when I'm part cyborg," Josh winked.

 

 

  
They discharged Josh just over four days after his surgery, and he was taken home by an overprotective husband who insisted on doing literally everything for him. Tyler had been at Josh's bedside in hospital from the moment visiting hours began at 8am right until they ended at 8pm, but the nights were the worst for both of them.

Surgery on his back combined with a recently dislocated shoulder, broken ribs and a glued head wound meant it was very difficult to find a position that was comfortable for Josh to sleep in. For the first two nights the huge volumes of pain meds also required the added assistance of sleeping meds to get him to drift off, but finally things were starting to heal and he was starting to get used to it. He wouldn't say he was pain free but it was getting better.

Ty also struggled to sleep, and Josh knew why. The first day he had gone home to a staircase bottomed by a pool of blood and steps dried with drips from his long fall down. Tyler had confessed to having a panic attack, but Josh was pleased to hear that he had called his mom to look after him. Since then he had been sleeping, or attempting to, in his childhood bedroom, so Josh's first night back home was also Tyler's.

Other than a dressing on the back of his head and back and a sling for his arm, Josh had no medical equipment as such. He'd been told that wearing a brace wouldn't be beneficial, however he was on strict instructions not to lift anything for 6 weeks and not to bend or twist for 2. The temptations to rush around and look after Ty and the house were strong, but occasional pulses of pain reminded him that he was doing the right thing by laying in bed and watching an old episode of X-Files that Tyler had put on for him.

"You doing alright darling?" Tyler checked up on him, half entering the room.  
"Yeah, but I'd be even better if you joined poor old injured Joshie over here in bed."  
"Fiiiine," he rolled his eyes before smirking and climbing into his side of the mattress, very cautious not to come even close to touching Josh.

"Whatcha doing downstairs?" Josh asked, breaking Tyler's self enforced no touch rule and ruffling his hair before holding his hand with his good arm.  
"Lesson plans, my favourite."  
"You've got a fortnight off work, why are you doing them now?"  
"For the sub,"  
"Isn't that their job?" He laughed relatively pain free. "Nah I know it's cause you care babe,"  
"Yeah, actually I wanted to ask you something,"  
"Go on,"  
"Well the sub's covering all my classes but all my privates have been cancelled. Obviously I'm not gonna leave you here when you're like this, but I was considering inviting a few pupils round to do piano privates here? Would that be alright?"  
"Course it would be sweetie,"  
"I won't tell them you're here or I won't let them upstairs or anything,"  
"Ty I said it's fine darling, if it's gonna make you feel happy then that makes me happy."  
"Thank you," he smiled, then gently kissed Josh on the lips.

"How's the pain?"  
"S'fine,"  
"Is that a real fine or a Josh fine?"  
"It's a manageable fine,"  
"Do you want me to grab your pain medication?" Tyler offered.  
"Nah, anymore and I'll fall asleep again and I won't sleep tonight, just stay with me?"  
"Of course babe," he nodded, pecking his temple. "What's happening?"  
"Just the usual alien getting tracked by Mulder and Scully blah blah blah." Josh yawned.

"Ty,"  
"Yeah?"  
"When I was at the hospital, Dr Coleman found something on my scan."  
"Wait what?" Tyler asked clearly terrified, turning to face him.  
"Don't worry, it's okay, I'm okay, it's just some historic breaks of my ribs,"  
"I, I don't understand,"  
"Remember when I told you my mom used to discipline me,"  
"Oh God,"  
"23 breaks."  
"Jesus Josh, that's, God, I'm so sorry, that's horrible, I just," Tyler stuttered, tears brimming along his lash lines.  
"I remember it hurting, I never thought she actually broke bones,"  
"Babe,"

"It's fine, I'm okay, I just thought you should know."  
"It's not fine Josh."  
"I just mean that I'm not in danger or anything,"  
"That doesn't mean it's fine, she's got to be held accountable, I mean Jesus she caned you Josh."  
"Not often, just-"  
"Josh I swear if you say when you deserved it then I'll call the police on her right now." Tyler said, tears tumbling.  
"No no, I wasn't, and don't call the police Ty,"  
"Why not? She deserves it."  
"Because I'm happy now Ty, that's why, I'm married to the most amazing man and I'm being looked after and I'm happy, there's no need to start something that's only going to end in more hurt."  
"It's going to end in justice."  
"Justice is overrated."  
"You're a lawyer." Tyler managed to force a small roll of the eyes and fake laugh. Josh knew that Ty would do anything to see his parents pay and anything to protect him, and honestly the latter brought him so much happiness that he didn't need yet another court case in his life to bring him a sense of security. Tyler was all the security he needed.

"You're really not gonna do anything?"  
"I'm really not." Josh said. "Do you support me?"  
"I'll always always support you Josh, I might not necessarily agree with your decisions but I'll always stand by your side once you've made them."  
"Thank you."  
"I love you,"  
"I love you more,"  
"Impossible," Tyler said, bopping his nose with his finger then kissed him gently on the lips.

"Ty," Josh hummed as his husband nestled into his side.  
"Yeh?"  
"How long till I can have sex?"  
"You just told me that horrifying news and now you're horny? You're all sorts of messed up."  
"Well in my defence it's not my fault that you're so insanely sexy."  
"How strong are these meds you're taking?"  
"Very." Josh admitted with a smile as Tyler found and stroked his hand. "But you're still the most attractive man I've ever laid eyes on, whether I'm slightly off my face or not."  
"12 more weeks tiger."  
"But that's soooo long,"  
"That's what she said." He giggled cutely and the smile on Josh's face became permanent.

"Tyler Dun-Joseph, did you just make a dirty joke?"  
"I may have, but in my defence I too am on very powerful medication."  
"Ahh, we're both messes aren't we." Josh sighed with a smile and Ty let out a single chuckle.  
"That we are, that we are."  
"But you know, I wouldn't ever swap my Tyler shaped mess for anything else."  
"Good because I was planning on keeping my Joshua shaped mess around for a whole while longer, metal spine and all."  
"I'm basically a badass ninja, that's what you're saying right?"  
"Totally."

"I feel like typing a memo for rice being on sale isn't a cool enough story."  
"I feel like you might be right there babe." Tyler smiled.  
"What awesome story should I tell people then?"  
"Fighting an evil mutant hybrid of a swan and a leopard seal?"  
"A swan and a seal?" Josh laughed doubtfully.  
"Yep, I'm telling you babe, they're evil, BuzzFeed put them both on their list of cute animals you really ought to be more scared of."  
"Well if BuzzFeed says so." He grinned as Tyler grinned, forgetting any of the pain that had been constant since the fall.

"I was really scared, you know that Josh? When you were in hospital, I was really scared." Tyler mumbled a minute later.  
"I know Ty, and yet you didn't have a relapse which has made me so unbelievably proud."  
"When you woke up from the surgery and you couldn't say my name, I went and had a little cry in the toilets."  
"I know that too Ty. I might not have had a clue what planet I was on but I can always tell when you're not okay."  
"Don't ever do something like this to me again, okay Mr Dun-Joseph?"  
"I'll do my best I promise Mr Dun-Joseph." Josh told him, leaning across and pecking him on the temple in spite of the pain screaming from his neck and his ribs.

"You're my best friend and I love you more than you'll ever understand. Seeing you there, at the bottom of the stairs, I thought you were dead Josh."  
"Can't get rid of me that easily darling." He reassured him and Ty let out a small laugh then cuddled himself closer to his side and rested his arm across Josh's chest, stroking with his thumb slowly. "And for the record, I do understand how much you love me, you show me everyday. Whether that's by calling an ambulance and saving my life or offering to take the trash out after I've had a long day in court even when it's my turn. You make me feel very loved."  
"That makes me happy."  
"And knowing that makes me happy too sweetie." Josh said honestly.

"In a way it was good you threw yourself down those stairs for me."  
"Oh yeah? How's that?" Josh asked curiously as Tyler smiled.  
"Well since you're bed bound and I've got a fortnight off work, we're gonna have loads of time like this together. Just talking. It's gonna be nice."  
"Yeah I agree, I'm sorry I'm always busy darling, I love talking to you more than anything."  
"No no it's okay, I didn't mean it as a dig, I love that you work so hard for something you're so passionate about-"  
"But I'm more passionate about you. Being here, being with you, knowing I've got nothing else I should be stressing over, it's gonna be perfect."  
"Yeah," Tyler smiled sweetly up at him.  
"Should throw myself down stairs more often."  
"Nooo,"

**Author's Note:**

> If you read me then you're clearly into angst, so little reminder for you, Josh is dead. Continue.


End file.
